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BAGHDAD, IRAQ - MARCH 4: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki talks during a press briefing at the National reconciliation conference of the former Iraqi army officers March 4, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq.

Iraqi President Nuri al-Maliki told ITV News, "I would say that the sectarian killing is over," in an interview to be broadcast Monday night on British television.

Maliki attributed the progress to two things:

"The first one is the national reconciliation on which we still insist. The second thing is the ability of the security services in arresting those who are provoking the sectarian unrest."

Even so, Maliki acknowledged ongoing violence, but blamed it on al Qaeda:

"Yes, there are still some actions done by al Qaida and its collaborators aiming at breaking the law and, unfortunately, they might be covered up by some politicians who were not partners in the success of the Baghdad security plan."

ITV hasn't posted a transcript of the interview yet, but a fuller account of Maliki's comments can be found here.